SWEPCO Adds New Wind Power Capacity to its Louisiana Grid

Southwestern Electric Power Co. has put the second of three new wind facilities online to its grid, serving customers in Louisiana and Arkansas.

The 287-megawatt Maverick facility located southwest of Enid, Oklahoma, has 103 wind turbines and is part of the North Central Energy Facilities project.

District 5 Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says the new wind power capacity will positively impact state consumers.

“Louisiana customers of SWEPCO benefit as each of these facilities comes online,” Campbell said in a release. “There’s no cost for wind as a fuel when it is used to generate electricity, and that is a savings to customers. These projects also qualify for federal tax incentives that are passed on to customers. The result will be savings of $1 billion over the expected 30-year life of the facilities compared to other energy resources.”

The Louisiana Public Service Commission unanimously approved Campbell’s motion to endorse the SWEPCO wind project in May 2020.

In addition to Maverick, the NCEF project includes the 199-megawatt Sundance wind farm, which began commercial operation on April 14, 2021. And the 999-megawatt Traverse wind farm is under construction with planned commercial operation in early 2022.

In total, the facilities will generate enough energy to power 440,000 homes.

“This wind energy is helping customers meet their own renewable energy and sustainability goals and making communities in Louisiana and Arkansas more competitive for economic development,” said Malcolm Smoak, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer.

SWEPCO’s investment in the total project is approximately $1.01 billion.

“Among our Louisiana electric utilities, SWEPCO has been most aggressive when it comes to adopting clean, renewable energy,” Campbell added. “I support this transition and am pushing the company to go further with solar power developed here at home in Louisiana.”